The TO Apocalypse
by Shoppers55
Summary: (AU) The Techno Organic virus has ravaged the galaxy for 14 years. Only small pockets of civilization remain. Hidden away on unknown planets or space stations. Commander Shepard leads one of these. Nearly 10,000 souls stuck on a Cerberus station built for 4,000. She tries to project confidence. Hope. But it isn't working and resources are running out.


**Author's Note: Sorry its been so long since I've posted anything! Been playing ME:A. Overall I liked it. Though the numerous bugs really let it down. I will get back to my other stories. I just find I can't concentrate on them while the start of another story is stuck in my head.**

 _Techno-organic virus: Infection_

One can only become infected by skin to skin contact by an infected individual. Anything covering the skin can stop the infected from transmitting the virus. Though most individuals prefer hard suits. Just to be on the safe side.

Infection is complete once the virus reaches the brain. Deep blue wires appear under the skin and travel through the body transforming the blood vessels. Process of the virus, so far, can only be stop be removing the infected tissue from the body. Most common procedure is to remove the infected body part from the rest of the body.

Once the virus reaches the brain the infected individual either becomes 'mindless' or 'evolved'.

It is unknown what determines whether an individual becomes mindless or evolved. The most common theory is that those with a strong 'will' become 'evolved'.

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 _Techno-organic virus: Mindless_

The Mindless only have two impulses. Consume and infect all sentient life. They have been known to eat anything of organic origin. Regardless of whether the host body can ingest it. This includes: all plant life, clothing, furniture etc. A big enough horde can strip a planet clean in a matter of months.

They are incapable of speech. The only thing that can stop them are the 'evolved'. For reasons we do not know they obey their instructions. The most common theory is that they communicate through some sort of 'wifi' connection. The range of this wifi is estimated to be around 10km.

Without instruction from an evolved the mindless will roam endlessly devouring all in their path until something distracts them.

Until the evolved disappeared 5 years ago the mindless were transported to a new world once the one they were on was picked clean. Most known garden worlds are now wastelands.

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 _Techno-organic virus: Evolved_

Evolved (more commonly known as EI) are able to think, speak and do anything their uninfected self could do. They command the mindless. They can also interact with machinery and infect computer networks. Overriding encryption easily. This is then used to direct the mindless against organics. This cannot be used to spread the virus to other organic individuals who then attempt to use infected computers etc.

Before they disappeared the evolved seemed to be plotting something. Gathering materials needed to build spaceships.

Also unknown since the beginning of the outbreak is what happens to the female evolved. Anecdotal evidence suggests they exist but what happens to them is unclear.

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 _Commander Shepard: Mindoir Ruins_

 _Lives in charge of 9, 567._

 _Years since the techno-organic virus outbreak: 13_

"Anything?" Through our comms I ask Garrus if he sees any movement on the horizon.

"Nothing yet." He replies. Glancing at me before returning his attention to the scope of his sniper rifle, lying flat on top of our shuttle. _I still can't believe he still uses that._ Scarred, battered and repaired a hundred times. The paintwork is probably the only thing that is still from the original rifle. His family crest painted on a purple background.

 _It doesn't exactly blend in._ But I can't blame him. We all cling to whatever we have left of our old lives. For me it's a small bullet. A relic of a bygone era. My mother gave it to me the day I enlisted. Passed down through the generations from one soldier to another.

I stop my hand from moving over to my chest, where I keep it. _How many times in basic did the guys mock me for having a necklace with a bullet at the end of it?_ Every time we go out on a supply run I wonder whether I should leave it with my daughter. As something to remember me by.

But I don't. Because if I do that, I'm acknowledging the fact that I might not come back. If I don't believe that we're coming back, how can I inspire the others? So I swallow my own fears, put on a brave face and take it with me.

 _They're over an hour late._ Warning bells are going off in my head as I pace back and forth across the empty spaceport. Waiting for their shuttle to come in with the agreed upon supplies. The food we brought to trade with sitting on the floor in crates outside our own shuttle.

 _Five more minutes. I'm given them five more._ Normally I would've given up by now but we really, really need those supplies. _Water, clips, fuel, Eezo. The list goes on. The only surplus we have is food._

I stomp over to the nearest wall and start punching it as hard as I can without my biotics. "Fuck it! Stupid fuckin no-shows!" I should stop after the first couple of hits. Before I break any bones. But I don't. Instead I engage my biotics for added effect and push. The metal buckles and warps around my fist.

Ash chuckles and Kaidan sighs. "We really shouldn't leave any signs we were here Commander." As calm and measured as ever he starts loading the crates back into the shuttle.

 _I really don't know why he isn't in charge._ He always keeps his shit together. Unlike me. The crazy lady who likes to punch walls. When people start getting agitated he always knows what to say to calm them down. Why he still insists on following military ranks that hold no meaning is beyond me.

As I close my eyes and try to calm myself with a few deep breathes. Ash walks over and slaps me on the back. "While I prefer she does this kind of thing on the ground" I turn my head and I force a half-hearted smile to match the one I can see through her faceplate. She always tries to pick me up when I'm down.

I lock my own feelings away and playfully shove her away. "Please, you people love it when I make your lives more exciting." I force myself to sound normal. To even inject a little humour into my voice. Not sure if it works when I'm practically grinding my teeth. But they don't comment on it.

"Hey Garrus! You coming down here to help us or what?" Ash shouts up to him as she lifts the first crate, making a show of how heavy it is. Groaning dramatically, as she barely move one foot in front of the other.

"Can't. The best sniper on the team has to keep a look out." I can't see him but I can imagine the smirk on his face. I roll my eyes. _Great now the entire flight back gonna be the Garrus and Ash greatest 'hits' show._ I know they're doing it for me. So I can distract myself from my thoughts. So I don't have to think about rationing or the arguments that will ensue as the various factions back home tell me why they deserve more than others.

Before I can make a sarcastic comment about how useless snipers are in a 'real' fight. We all freeze as we hear it. The footsteps. Coming from inside the spaceport. Towards us.

"Kaidan. Get those supplies on board now! Ash get the shuttle ready to launch! Garrus fire as soon as you have the shot. Take as many of the mindless down as you can! Leave any EI to me." I create a singularity between two pillars and take cover behind the leftmost pillar.

It doesn't take long for them to arrive. I glance out from behind my cover to get a look at their numbers. 10 mindless in total. 5 humans, 2 turians and 3 salarians. _Huh. These look old._ Most of their clothing is missing. Either torn when they got infected, damaged by the weather or...eaten by the looks of that human male with cloth stuck in his mouth.

Doesn't look like there are any EI. _I haven't seen any of them in years. Could they've all been wiped out? Are they plotting somewhere?_ On the plus side this is going to be an easy fight. As there is nobody to direct them. _I guess these ones were left behind when they moved the others._

I contact Garrus. "Stand down. I can handle these." Normally I would let him help. He gets droning on about keeping his skills sharp. But well...we need the clips. It's not like I'm going to break a sweat fighting them. Most of them run straight at my warp.

As six of them start circling my singularity I concentrate on the other four while drawing my knives. As the first human launches for me, (not like she's going to knock me down seeing how emaciated she looks) I dodge to the side slamming my elbow into the back of her head. Keeping my momentum going I spin, stabbing the other human in the eye as he claws at my other arm. I kick out at his chest to free my knife.

I change my grip on my left-hand knife so I'm holding the blade and chuck it at the remaining salarian standing. Thankfully my showboating pays off and the pointy end goes into his head. I pass my other knife to my dominant hand. Headbutt the turian, duck his arms and plunge my blade underneath his chin in-between his mandibles. Killing him instantly.

I ignore the dangling mindless and make my way back to the others. I smirk when I hear Garrus mumble. "Show Off." _First time I smiled today._

I grab the last of our supplies and hand them to kaidan. With his head he points to my warp. "What about them?"

Once upon a time I would've put them out of their misery. But now? Now I don't have the energy. So instead of answering I pull down the hatch, let go of the singularity and head to the cockpit. "Take us back to the Normandy."

I plop myself into the opposite seat, ignoring the banging on the hatch. I place my head in my hands. _Seriously whoever is up there I could really use a break._

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 _Corporal Shepard: Elysium_

 _Lives in charge of 0._

 _Days since the techno-organic virus outbreak: 23_

"Block that fucking door Corporal!" The Captain screams at me as whatever those diseased lunatics did is travelling up his arm. Mutilating it with wires.

 _What the hell is going on!?_ I try and keep myself centred. Calm. Otherwise I'll burn through what little biotic energy I have even faster than I'm currently doing. Which will only be about 30 seconds more as I'm trying to block an entire hangar bay.

 _This was meant to be a simple pick-up mission. Grab the Admiral and get him to Arcturus station. I thought Humanity was immune!? That's what they told us._ Looks like that was just to stop us panicking.

Just as we take off I collapse. My biotics spent. The barrier drops and the crazies swarm in. I'm pretty sure some of them even try to jump onto the shuttle before it takes off.

I tune out the Captain's screams as the others debate over whether we should just kill him or not. Staying awake is the priority. I don't notice the other soldier sat next to me until he taps the side of my head with an energy drink.

He has a small smile on his face he tells me. "Drink this. It will help."

And I do. I chug the drink as fast as I can. Who knows what craziness we're going to find on the Hastings. After wiping my forehead I pass the empty bottle back to him. "Thanks." I manage before burping. Loudly. _Smooth Shepard. Pretend it didn't happen._ I hold out my hand "So um...you are you again?"

He plays along. "Kaidan Alenko. So how're you enjoying the Apocalypse?"


End file.
